Ok, I'm at work and should be doing other things rather than perusing the forum but something is bugging me and I need some answers.

While installing my new tires this weekend, I installed rim locks on both front and rear tires. After I got the bike back together, I rode it around my house for an hour or so, tearing up the lawn. Everything felt fine. Today, I rode the bike to work and when I got up to around 40 mph, I started feeling a cyclical vibration. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the rim locks. As I was putting them on, I was wondering what was going to happen because I know my wheels are no longer balanced. But I figured, Kawasaki must know what they're doing, they put the rim lock holes in the rims, right?

Does anyone else have this problem? Should I go get the wheels balanced? Should I take out the rim locks? It will drive me crazy if I have to ride on the road any distance.

Thanks for any input.

 

Drill a hole and put another lock 180 degrees from each other. Mine vibrates very little on the road.

 

You can buy wheel weights that clamp around the spokes. Weight the spokes opposite the rim lock to balance the wheel. I'm pretty sure I have seen pics of the spoke wheel weights on a thread here. I know some do what "2kids1wife equals no money" said about the two rimlocks. I don't have them, have thought about getting them, but wondered how bad the wheel balance feels at highway speeds. Sounds like it's not something you want to live with.
Dan

 

Get either stick-on weights, or the spoke kind.. I have the spoke kind on the front, and stickies on the rear.

I had the same prob and experimented with weights. I believe the magic # was 6oz in the rear, and 1.5oz in the front.. I'll double check though.

 

Its about as smooth as you can get with full knobbies. 2nd lock is cheaper than having someone balance your wheel and as a bonus the 2nd lock actually serves a purpose rather than the weights that just spin around.

 

The rim locks are cheap enough, but it's a pain in the ***** to take the wheels all apart again. Maybe I could just throw the weights on for now and then add the second rim lock when I change the tires again. Anyone got a link to the spoke weights?

 

Thanks Larry, that would be great. At least it will give me a reference to start with. I'm not even looking forward to the ride home tonight because I HATE it when my KLX isn't perfect

That and it's dark and 43 degrees out

 

Just ran down to the garage and checked - the back is 6oz, and the front the #'s are worn off - but there's significantly less weight. I'm almost 100% sure it's 1.25oz or 1.5oz.

Bike rides smooth as butter up to 80 or so, then I crap my pants.

 

On the subject of rim locks my previously owned bike came with stick on weights directly oposite of the space between the rimlock hole and the valve stem hole.
Should I assume they were probably for rim locks and the former owner kept the rimlocks?
Should I remove them? I dont notice a strange vibration but I am just getting a feel for the bike now anyway as I only have about 70 miles on it since I got it.
Cheers, Jim
PWI-917

 

Its best balance any unequal weight. Unbalanced tires wear-out wheel bearings, shocks, and tire faster. Plus, its more of safety hazard for motorcycles. Check with a Cycle Gear store and see if they still offer the free balancing. Last time I checked, they did, just bring in your wheels with tires mounted ready to go (loose, not on bike), and they will balance them.